State profile · Below median Poor share

Colorado bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Colorado.

8,965
Public bridges
35.7%
Good condition
4.8%
Poor condition

Colorado holds 8,965 public highway bridges (#27 of 52 by inventory) with a 4.82% Poor share (#34 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 4.8% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 19 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

8,965

Public highway bridges in Colorado

Good Condition

35.7%

3,197 bridges rated 7-9

-14.3pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

4.8%

432 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-2.7pp vs national avg 7.5%

Colorado vs national bridge condition

Colorado - Good condition share 35.7%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Colorado - Poor-condition share 16.1%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Colorado in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Colorado has 8,965 bridges and a 4.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #19 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Colorado has 8,965 bridges and a 4.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #19 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Colorado vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

8,965 27th of 54 higher than 27 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Colorado

The highlighted point is Colorado: 8,965 bridges and 4.82% in Poor condition, rank #19 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Colorado on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Connecticut: 4,365 bridges · 4.72% Poor
  • Ohio: 26,729 bridges · 4.74% Poor
  • Colorado: 8,965 bridges · 4.82% Poor
  • Idaho: 4,616 bridges · 4.90% Poor
  • Indiana: 19,495 bridges · 5.22% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Colorado

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 8,965 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Colorado’s inventory

State agency holds 38.8% of the 8,965 public highway bridges filed under Colorado in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Colorado’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 8.5% of the 8,965 bridges with a recorded original year in Colorado. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Colorado35.7%59.5%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Colorado (FHWA NBI)

Counties (64)

Adams 535 Alamosa 16 Arapahoe 391 Archuleta 44 Baca 106 Bent 68 Boulder 311 Broomfield 66 Chaffee 84 Cheyenne 61 Clear Creek 77 Conejos 62 Costilla 39 Crowley 28 Custer 20 Delta 64 Denver 458 Dolores 28 Douglas 263 Eagle 174 El Paso 686 Elbert 85 Fremont 137 Garfield 167 Gilpin 19 Grand 88 Gunnison 100 Hinsdale 31 Huerfano 94 Jackson 47 Jefferson 464 Kiowa 31 Kit Carson 130 La Plata 102 Lake 17 Larimer 559 Las Animas 207 Lincoln 129 Logan 182 Mesa 319 Mineral 26 Moffat 80 Montezuma 61 Montrose 118 Morgan 192 Otero 195 Ouray 39 Park 55 Phillips 27 Pitkin 62 Prowers 137 Pueblo 264 Rio Blanco 54 Rio Grande 71 Routt 96 Saguache 41 San Juan 13 San Miguel 59 Sedgwick 64 Summit 57 Teller 27 Washington 75 Weld 614 Yuma 49

Colorado vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Colorado on the same metric.

CT

Connecticut

4.72% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,365

OH

Ohio

4.74% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$26,729
Selected

CO

Colorado

4.82% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,965

ID

Idaho

4.90% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,616

IN

Indiana

5.22% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,495

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Colorado

Six lowest-condition bridges in Colorado, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

144TH AVENUE

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK

1.2 MILES WEST OF SH 79, Adams, CO

Built 1960 Load: 0.0 t

County Road 79.0

Poor

Over: Salado Creek

2.8 Mi N of CR 64, Las Animas, CO

Built 2020 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2

County Road 59

Poor

Over: N. Sterling Outlet Canal

0.3 Mi N of Co Rd 58, Logan, CO

Built 1940 Load: 1.4 t ADT: 6

COTTONWOOD ST

Poor

Over: NORTH CRESTONE CREEK

IN TOWN OF CRESTONE, Saguache, CO

Built 1991 Load: 2.3 t ADT: 65

CO Rd 32

Poor

Over: Feeder Ditch

0.28 MI E of Co Rd 75, Las Animas, CO

Built 1970 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 7

POTOMAC STREET

Poor

Over: OBRIAN CANAL

0.2 MILE NORTH OF SH 2, Adams, CO

Built 1940 Load: 3.8 t ADT: 190

All Bridges in Colorado

COUNTY ROAD 742

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

6.9 MI NE OF ALMONT, Gunnison, CO

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,291

CO RD 742

Good

Over: TAYLOR RIVER

16.3 MI NE OF ALMONT, Gunnison, CO

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 865

CO RD 742

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

AT TAYLOR PARK RESERVOIR, Gunnison, CO

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 896

I 70 ML EBND

Good

Over: REED DRAIN

0.6 MI E OF JCT SH 139, Mesa, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,500

US 6 ML

Good

Over: LITTLE SALT WASH

W. EDGE OF FRUITA, Mesa, CO

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,900

CARR STREET

Good

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

0.1 MI SO OF CHATFIELD, Jefferson, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,189

W. CHATFIELD AVE

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.5 mi W. of Wadsworth, Jefferson, CO

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,714

QUINCY AVENUE

Good

Over: WEAVER CREEK

0.15 MI E OF SIMMS AVE, Jefferson, CO

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,474

US 24 ML

Good

Over: SEASONAL WASH

0.65 MI W OF US285, Park, CO

Built 2023 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,200

US 24 ML

Good

Over: SEASONAL DRAW

2.9 MI W of US285, Park, CO

Built 2023 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,200

US 24 ML

Good

Over: S FK SOUTH PLATTE RVR

0.5 MI NW OF LAKE GEORGE, Park, CO

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,600

US 24 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

1.8 MI E OF FLORISSANT, Teller, CO

Built 2023 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,400

US 24 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

2.1 MI E OF FLORISSANT, Teller, CO

Built 2023 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,400

US 24 ML WBND

Good

Over: HANCOCK EXP SPRING CRK

.25 MI E OF JCT I-25, El Paso, CO

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,000

I 25 SBND RAMP

Good

Over: MONUMENT CREEK

IN COLORADO SPGS, El Paso, CO

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 62,000

WEAVER DRIVE

Good

Over: LILLEY GULCH

0.3 MI E OF PIERCE CT, Jefferson, CO

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,204

PIERCE STREET

Good

Over: DUTCH CREEK

0.2 MI N OF COAL MINE RD, Jefferson, CO

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,773

US 550 ML

Good

Over: WILDLIFE CROSSING

COLONA PASSING LANES, Ouray, CO

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,300

I 25 ML

Good

Over: GRUMA DRIVE

IN PUEBLO, Pueblo, CO

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 52,000

US 50 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

0.6 MI E OF JCT SH 231, Pueblo, CO

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,600

COUNTY ROAD 6

Good

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

1.1 MILES S OF ROAD DD, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 38

SH 71 ML

Good

Over: FT LYON CANAL

8 MI SOUTH OF ORDWAY, Otero, CO

Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,700

SH 71 ML

Good

Over: ARKANSAS RIVER

2.9 MI N OF ROCKY FORD, Otero, CO

Built 2019 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,700

SH 101 ML

Good

Over: PURGATOIRE RIVER

2.6 MI SOUTH OF JCT US 50, Bent, CO

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 450

TOWN ST RYUS AVE.

Good

Over: CUCHARAS RIVER

200 FT W OF OAK ST, Huerfano, CO

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 471

SIXTH ST.

Good

Over: KING ARROYO

2 BLOCKS E OF SH 109, Otero, CO

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,307

MARINA RD

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

NEAR ENT BEAR CREEK PK, Jefferson, CO

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 141

COUNTY ROAD HH

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK DRAIN

JUST WEST OF CR 9, Prowers, CO

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 267

OAK STREET

Good

Over: GREEN BELT FLOODWAY

JUST W OF 14TH STREET, Prowers, CO

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 809

MAPLE STREET

Good

Over: GREEN BELT FLOODWAY

IN LAMAR, Prowers, CO

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 511

County Road 20

Good

Over: Pawnee Ditch

0.7 Mi E of Co Rd 29, Logan, CO

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 33

County Road 78

Good

Over: Cottonwood Creek

0.3 Mi E of Co Rd 67, Logan, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 44

Harvard Street

Good

Over: Oligarchy Ditch

50 Ft So. of N. Shore Dr., Boulder, CO

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,509

Sunset Street

Good

Over: Saint Vrain Creek

0.1 S Boston Ave, Boulder, CO

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,282

96th Street

Good

Over: BNSF RR

250 Ft. N of CR 19, Boulder, CO

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,821

57th Street

Good

Over: Louden Ditch

W of Garfield Ave/SH287, Larimer, CO

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,414

Denver Avenue

Good

Over: Greeley Loveland Canal

0.1 Mi N of US Hwy 34, Larimer, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,035

SW 14th Street

Good

Over: Misc Drainage Basin

600 FT W of Katie Ave, Larimer, CO

Built 1901 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,085

County Road 14

Good

Over: Home Supply Ditch

JUST W. OF CR 21, Larimer, CO

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,191

County Road 24

Good

Over: Buckhorn Creek

0.8 Mi E of Co Rd 27, Larimer, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 437

County Road 31D

Good

Over: Handy Ditch

50 ft N of Co Rd 22H, Larimer, CO

Built 1951 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 250

County Road 43

Good

Over: N Fork Big Thompson Rive

3.3 Mi SE of Co Rd 51B, Larimer, CO

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 349

County Road 9

Good

Over: Larimer County Canal

0.4 Mi N of Co Rd 56, Larimer, CO

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,250

Access Road

Good

Over: Big Thompson River

25 ft S on US 34, Larimer, CO

Built 2018 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16

Bluff Lane

Good

Over: Handy Ditch

0.5 Mi W of S CR 23, Larimer, CO

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 96

Bluff Lane

Good

Over: Home Supply Ditch

300 FT W of S CR 23, Larimer, CO

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 77

Stanton Ridge Road

Good

Over: Unnamed Canal

S of E CR 32, Larimer, CO

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 262

Willows Bend Dr.

Good

Over: Handy Ditch

0.4 Mi S of W CR 20, Larimer, CO

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22

LAKE AVE

Good

Over: LITTLES CREEK

0.04 MI E OF SPOTSWOOD ST, Arapahoe, CO

Built 2014 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,051

MINERAL AVENUE

Good

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

0.4 MI W OF SANTA FE DR, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 32,082

Showing 6,451-6,500 of 8,965 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use Colorado's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Colorado and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Colorado Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.